ArcaMax

Some cars that make sense at $25k make increasingly less sense as the MSRP climbs higher than that. The Ford Edge is a perfect example. At $25,735 - the base price of the standard SE model with front-wheel-drive - this mid-sized, five passenger wagon is an appealing alternative to a traditional soul-stomping minivan. It serves the same function: roomy family-mobile with a large, versatile interior and plenty of space for stuff. But unlike a traditional minivan, the Edge has style - as well as respectable power/performance bona fides.

It comes standard with a full complement of safety equipment sufficient to placate any concerned mom - while its 265 hp V-6 engine and available 20-inch rims won't leave dads feeling like suburban saps. But if you're not careful, the price of an Edge can edge close to $35k - at which point you might begin thinking about what else you could buy for that kind of coin.

WHAT IT IS

The Edge is a medium-sized, mid-priced wagon available with either FWD or AWD.

WHAT'S NEW

The Edge is itself a new model for Ford that's only been out for about a year now - so updates for the '09 run are minimal. Ford's "Sync" system - which integrates all the in-car entertainment /communication systems (such as MP3 players, cell phones, PDAs and USB flash devices, etc.) and hooks them up to voice recognition software that lets you call up whatever you'd like just by asking for it - is one of the high-tech options added to the roster, along with a power-activated rear liftgate.   

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

The standard and only engine/transmission combo available in the Edge is a 265 hp. 3.5 liter V-6  with variable cam timing (same as the one used in the Taurus sedan) and six-speed automatic driving either the front wheels or (optionally) a full-time AWD system that's similar to what you'll find in like-concept crossovers and wagons. It is not a heavy-duty, truck-sourced system - so there's no two-speed transfer case or Low range gearing.

The Edge is designed to be a street car - not an off-roader.

However, Ford has set up the optional AWD system to be capable of diverting almost all the engine's power to the rear wheels under hard acceleration - which adds to the un-minivan sensations you get when driving this thing. It can also send power side to side as well as front to back - which is a big help on slippery surfaces. 

For a 4,000-plus pound wagon, acceleration is snappy.  0-60 happens in about 7.4 seconds - which is much better than most any minivan can deliver short of strapping a JATO rocket to its roof.

Models equipped with the optional AWD system are a bit heavier - and thus, slightly slower. They also get worse gas mileage - 16 city/22 highway. But the FWD version is only slightly better, gas mileage-wise. Both are pretty hoggish - especially relative to standard minivans - some of which can approach 30 mpg on the highway.

The SUV-like lust for fuel may just be the Edge's weakest point as a potential family vehicle - unless your family is not troubled by spending $60-80 per week to roll.   

One bright spot - the Edge's engine runs on 87 octane regular, so you'll save some money that way, at least.

RIDE & HANDLING

The standard SE model rides on 17 inch rims - with humongous 20-inchers offered on the mid-range SEL and top-of-the-line Limited. These - and the pretty aggressive tires that come with them - deliver sharp steering responses and pretty respectable cornering grip for what is, after all, a fairly big and pretty heavy wagon-like box.

The engine/transaxle assembly and front suspension all mount to a separate, bolt-on subframe that helps isolate noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) from making their way into the passenger cabin. The set-up also gives the Edge a solid and well put-together feel.

I was impressed by the way Ford programmed the Advance Trac traction/stability control system. It doesn't rush into the room like a hysterical fishwife to berate you for being a reckless hooligan whenever a tire threatens to squeal even slightly. A little ABS pumping here, some dial-back on the throttle there - and the Edge stays on track without overdramatic interventions accompanied by frantic klaxons and brightly flashing warning lights.

In other words, you can edge the Edge - an impossibility (or an outright Ugly Scene) if attempted with a standard minivan.

STYLING & UTILITY

With its "chopped" looking roofline and huge wheels, the Edge looks more radical than some show-only concept cars looked ten years back. You can order a a panorama-style Vista Roof that converts much of the roof into a skylight. (One section can be tilted up or slid open, the other is fixed in place.) It comes with a power sunshade that keeps the sun from roasting your neck and shoulders - and cooking the interior.

A power-activated rear liftgate is available, but Ford, like everyone else, is so fearful of "personal injury" lawyers that the thing takes an eternity to open or close. At least it doesn't beep at you (for "safety") as some others do.

The Edge has a lot of interior space - almost 70 cubic feet with the second row seats folded flat; 32 cubes with the second row in use. With the second row seats down, you can fit eight-foot-long objects in the Edge and still be able to close the rear gate.

Ford built in numerous storage cubbies, too. The center console well is deep enough to take a laptop computer; you'll also find four power points throughout the cabin. A Class II hitch package is available on all trims. It includes an oil cooler, HD cooling and battery. Max rated towing capacity is 3,500 lbs.

QUALITY & SAFETY

A weak point is not quality per se but the appearance of it - or rather, the lack thereof - in the materials used for the cabin's dash/door panels and console. The Edge's hard and bleak-looking plastic surfaces seem out of line with its $25k entry price point - and the comparisons don't get better as you move up to the $28,265-$30,035 SEL and the "top of the line" $31,075-$32,895 Limited. Buyers have a right to expect more at the pushing $30 price point; once you're over $30k, "more" ought to be a given.

Spend a weekend looking at the materials/workmanship commonly found in new vehicles at the $30k and up price point and the Edge's deficiencies in this area really stand out.

It's not that it's poorly made; it just looks a little on the low-rent side for the price you're asked to pay.

On the upside, Ford equips every Edge with the full monte when it comes to safety gear - including side-impact and full-row head/curtaina air bags, traction and stability control (with what Ford calls "Rollover Avoidance Logic") and four-wheel-disc brakes with ABS. Rear parking sensors are optional on SEL and LImited models - but no back-up camera is offered.

All versions, including the base SE, come standard with AC, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, power windows, door locks and an adequate four-speaker stereo with single disc CD player.  It's well worth upgrading to the optional pemium stereo - which only costs $245 but adds MP3 capability and a six-disc changer, too. Sirius satellite hook-up can be added to this for another $195.

Unfortunately - for those who want it, anyhow - you can't get GPS in the base SE, even as an option. It is a $2,000 extra on the $28,265 (FWD) and $30,035 (AWD) mid-trim SEL and $31,0754 (FWD) and $32,895 (AWD) top of the line Limited.

It's pretty shocking that you still have to pay an additional two grand to get GPS on the $31-$32k Limited. At this price point, GPS really ought to be standard equipment.

Also: If you order the optional Vista Roof (which isn't available in the base SE version, either) you can't get the factory installed DVD entertainment system - because there's no place on the roof to mount it. However, Ford has a fix: A dealer-installed system that puts LCD displays into the back of the front seat headrests.

DRIVING IMPRESSIONS

With its powerful, high torque V-6 and snappy six-speed automatic, the Edge won't disappoint when you need to conjure up the gods of forward motion. A chief draw of a vehicle like the Edge vs. the conventional minivan is the thing actually goes when you need it to. Just because you have a baby on board doesn't mean you no longer need enough scoot to make a quick pass or merge efficiently with traffic. And when baby's not on board, the Edge can be reasonably satisfying in a corner, too.

THE BOTTOM LINE

At $25k or so, I like the Edge a lot. It is a stylish, fun to drive vehicle that shows how far Ford has evolved from what it was trying to sell even as recently as five years back.

But once the price edges much past $25k, it begins to lose some of its appeal. The base SE ($25,735 for the FWD version; $27,845 for the same with AWD) compares favorably with other vehicles in its general price range, but as the MSRP climbs to $30k, the cheap-out interior materials begin to gnaw at your brain  - especially when you look at what's available in something like the stunning (inside and out) Nissan Murano - which starts at $26,330 or the similarly swanky Mazda CX-7, which has an entry price point of just $23,900. These two offer similar functionality and power/performance - but come off as more upscale and "finished" than the Edge.

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www.ericpetersautos.com or EPeters952@aol.com for comments.